Systems and methods to determine and validate torque of an electric machine

Abstract

A vehicle includes a multi-core processor having first, second, and cores and having first and second analog-to-digital converters (ADC) associated with the first and second cores, respectively. The first and second ADC are configured to convert analog phase currents to first and second digital phase current values, respectively. The multi-core processor is configured to generate first and second rotor-angle data from digital signals representing a position of the electric machine. The processor is programmed to, via the first core, estimate a first output torque of the electric machine based on the first rotor-angle data and the first digital phase current values, via the second core, estimate a second output torque based on the second rotor-angle data and the second digital phase current values, and, via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a difference between the first and second output torques exceeding a threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle comprising:
 an electric machine; 
 a multi-core processor having first, second, and third cores, the first and second cores having first and second analog-to-digital converters (ADC) associated with the first and second cores, respectively, the first and second ADC being configured to convert analog phase currents of the electric machine to first and second digital phase current values, respectively, wherein the multi-core processor is configured to independently generate first and second rotor-angle data from digital signals representing a position of the electric machine, and wherein the multi-core processor is programmed to:
 via the first core, estimate a first output torque of the electric machine based on the first rotor-angle data and the first digital phase current values, 
 via the second core, estimate a second output torque of the electric machine based on the second rotor-angle data and the second digital phase current values, 
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a difference between the first and second output torques exceeding a threshold, 
 via the third core, generate a commanded torque for the electric machine based on a driver-demanded torque, and 
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a second difference between the first output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a second threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the processor further includes a local-memory unit interfacing between the first and second cores and the third core. 
     
     
       3. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-core processor is further programmed to:
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a third difference between the second output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a third threshold. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the multi-core processor is further programmed to:
 via the third core, generate a second commanded torque for the electric machine based on the driver-demanded torque, and 
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a fourth difference between the commanded torque and the second commanded torque exceeding a fourth threshold. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein each of the ADC includes an associated register. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-core processor further implements first and second timer modules associated with the first and second cores, respectively, and wherein the first and second rotor-angle data are generated via the first and second timer modules, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-core processor further includes a local-memory unit configured to receive the second output torque from the second core and output the second output torque to the first core. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a resolver configured to sense position of the electric machine and output analog signals representing a position of the electric machine; and 
 a resolver analog-to-digital converter that coverts the analog signals to the digital signals. 
 
     
     
       9. The vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein the multi-core processor is further programmed to, in response to the first core receiving error data from the resolver analog-to-digital converter, command de-activation of the electric machine via the third core. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-core processor further implements first and second timer modules associated with the first and second cores, respectively, and wherein the first and second rotor-angle data are generated via the first and second timer modules, respectively. 
     
     
       11. A method of validating output torque of an electric machine with a multi-core processor having first, second, and third cores and first and second analog-to-digital converters (ADC) associated with the first and second cores, respectively, the method comprising:
 converting analog phase currents of the electric machine to first and second digital phase current values via the first and second ADC; 
 independently generating first and second rotor-angle data from digital signals representing a position of the electric machine; 
 via the first core, estimating a first output torque of the electric machine based on the first rotor-angle data and the first digital phase current values; 
 via the second core, estimating a second output torque of the electric machine based on the second rotor-angle data and the second digital phase current values; 
 sending a fault signal from the second core to the third core in response to a difference between the first and second output torques exceeding a threshold; and 
 via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine in response to receiving the fault signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 via the third core, generating a commanded torque for the electric machine based on a driver-demanded torque; and 
 via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine in response to a second difference between the first output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a second threshold. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  further comprising, via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine in response to a third difference between the second output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a third threshold. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11  further comprising, via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine via the second core in response to the first core receiving resolver-error data. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 via the third core, generating a commanded torque for the electric machine based on a driver-demanded torque; 
 via the second core, comparing the commanded torque to the second output torque to determine a second difference; and 
 via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine in response to the second difference exceeding a second threshold. 
 
     
     
       16. A vehicle comprising:
 an electric machine; 
 a multi-core processor having first, second, and third cores, the first and second cores having first and second analog-to-digital converters (ADC) associated with the first and second cores, respectively, the first and second ADC being configured to convert analog phase currents of the electric machine to first and second digital phase current values, respectively, wherein the multi-core processor is configured to independently generate first and second rotor-angle data from digital signals representing a position of the electric machine, and wherein the multi-core processor is programmed to:
 via the first core, estimate a first output torque of the electric machine based on the first rotor-angle data and the first digital phase current values, 
 via the second core, estimate a second output torque of the electric machine based on the second rotor-angle data and the second digital phase current values, 
 via the second core, comparing the first output torque to the second output torque to determine a difference, and 
 via the third core, commanding de-activation of the electric machine in response to the difference exceeding a threshold. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the processor further includes a local-memory unit interfacing between the first and second cores and the third core. 
     
     
       18. The vehicle of  claim 16 , wherein the multi-core processor is further programmed to:
 via the third core, generate a commanded torque for the electric machine based on a driver-demanded torque, and 
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a second difference between the first output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a second threshold. 
 
     
     
       19. The vehicle of  claim 18 , wherein the multi-core processor is further programmed to:
 via the third core, command de-activation of the electric machine in response to a third difference between the second output torque and the commanded torque exceeding a third threshold.